tryouts

[Super Star 0]

So what is usually tested during tryouts? What drill are usually used? any other tips about how to impress or at least scrape by would be helpful.

[trevor13478 1]

do more gooder than everyone else

[Super Star 0]

Well by main problem is that tryouts are in 2 weeks and although I am well skater but only without the puck and I can't shoot good. So what should I do? I can only shoot on ice may be 4 times a week usually I go on weekends so just 1 times and play pickup. Anything specific I should practice?

[Law Goalie 147]

Morning, noon, and night with a puck on your stick. Wrap it in teflon tape if it's wrecking the kitchen floors. Do wrist-strengthening exercises.

At the tryouts, same old story: out-work everyone all the time. Any faults you may have as a player can be overcome with a sufficient work-ethic, and coaches know that. They'd rather have a guy who's willing to work his ass off than a slightly more talented lazy guy.

[Super Star 0]

what wrist exercises would you recommend? I have those handgrips but i don't think they train the wrist very well. I did develop a really good hand grip with them so no pickle jar is safe when I'm around but my wrist are as weak as ever.

[Law Goalie 147]

Cut up an old stick (wood ideally) into varying lengths - say, six inches, a foot, and two feet (I can't remember the ideal proportions). Staple a skate lace/shoestring to each, right in the middle. Place hands on both ends of one stick, and roll up the lace by turning the stick as fast as you can. Alternate sticks.

An even easier one I learned from climbing is to grab handfuls of air. Just flex your hands fully open and the squeeze them tight as fast and forcefully as possible: keep doing that until your arms start to burn. Start with your hands beside your body, then move them around: above your head, straight ahead of your body, behind your back, etc. The forcefulness of the movement from fully flexed open to a hard fist is what's key here.

[clarke-BOH 0]

Go running, do some sprinting, push ups, sit ups, and squats as well

[MJDhcky9 0]

I always felt the best way to get noticed in a tryout is to deliver a big hit or finish sprints hard.

[tips09 0]

just giver. always go 110% and dont cheat on drills. Lay some kids out and you ll be noticed. My coach that ive had for the past 3 years (going on fourth) told me this year that the only reason i got picked in the first place was because i wouldnt cheat, always gaver and got noticed by making big hits early. Try and be as confident as possible and good luck.

[sabre09923 0]

To prepare, do some sled pulling. Load up a sled with some free weights, and pull the sled at full speed. It's a great workout if you do it smartly (not too much weight), and will make you feel really light once you get out there. Alternatively, you can use a weighted vest or a resistance parachute (my favorite), but the sled works well enough.

[Super Star 0]

Go running, do some sprinting, push ups, sit ups, and squats as well

do you really think that in 2 weeks that will give any improvements, in 2 month yes, but in 2 weeks?

sabre, I don't have a sled but how heavy should the vest be? I also have some ankle weights can I use them or will that mess up my stride?

[Jordan 13]

If tryouts are in two weeks, lifting weights isn't going to do anything but make you sore.

If your shot is the problem, do what my 7 year old does, set up a net in the driveway (or a plywood board...doesn't matter)and shoot a 50 or 60 pucks seceral times per day.

It won't be exactly like ice but it will improve your coordination and muscke memory. You can get those plastic boards to shoot off of, feels a little more like ice and it will save that precious one piece stick.

[blues_91 0]

The drills aren't too important, but obviously if you're slacking off then the coaches will know and it'll look bad. Try to do something each shift to stand out, and play your game. Don't try to be something you're not, just be the best at what you do.

[Jarick 5]

Work with a stick handling ball and get as much stickhandling time as you can. See if some friends can rent an hour of ice time and set up cones and handle the puck around them. Every drill they had us do was with a puck.

[Eazy_b97 1]

If it's drills, try and be first and line, while doing everything hard (skating, passes, shots, etc.). If it's a scrimmage, work as hard as you can, and play your best. It's pretty simple.

[Hoffer 0]

If it's drills, try and be first and line, while doing everything hard (skating, passes, shots, etc.). If it's a scrimmage, work as hard as you can, and play your best. It's pretty simple.

That’s what I would say being first in line shows the evaluators at the tryouts I have been that you know what your doing. Also at tryouts I go to we seem to always do a lot of Russian circles forward, backward, and facing the scoreboard all with and without a puck.

[biff44 0]

Well by main problem is that tryouts are in 2 weeks and although I am well skater but only without the puck and I can't shoot good. So what should I do? I can only shoot on ice may be 4 times a week usually I go on weekends so just 1 times and play pickup. Anything specific I should practice?

That is a real problem! You have to skate fast WITH the puck. Also, you can not be looking down at the ice to find the puck, unless you want your head to be handed to you!

I just takes a whole lot of practice and discipline! You could start off-ice with a stickhandling ball in the basement. Set up 4 pucks in a diamond and practice stickhandling the ball through the pucks WITHOUT looking down! The more you can do this by feel without looking, the more you will be able to concentrate on other things while you are on the ice.

On ice, it is tough. Everytime you catch yourself staring down at the ice you have to correct yourself. Maybe tape your blade in pink tape, or something hideous like that, so every time you look down you remember what you are trying to stop.

As far as shooting goes, you can do that outside in the driveway with some pucks and a small slick surface of some kind.

[hockechamp14 0]

Just keep working on whatever is making you a better player right now --- if you ARE working hard and everything. If you're not... two weeks isn't very long.

My best words of advice, go and do some conditioning sprints. Sprint 100 meters at a time on the track, then walk the turns until you get to the next 100 meter start. Don't strain on these, these aren't going to make you faster, but they can facilitate recovery better, increase aerobic and anaerobic ability, along with your special endurance (repeat performance ability). Some keywords to use while sprinting are swift and fast, keep your legs going smooth but quickly. Do ten sprints 3 times a week the next two weeks. If you can't do ten without your form getting destroyed or wanting to die, try to work up to it.

You don't know how the evaluator/coach is going to run it either. At a junior training camp this fall, all the on ice stuff was more or less a scrimmage. But we got our butts handed to us during all of our off ice stuff.

[thefelixculpa 0]

Whenever I do tryouts, I always get nervous for drills. There is just something about the 50 guys all skating at the same time, the clutter, that messes me up. I always just tried to stay under the radar for them. Didn't try to get noticed doing anything special, just wanted to not do anything that would make me stand out negatively.

When it came time for scrimmage, however, I let loose!

[biff44 0]

Just keep working on whatever is making you a better player right now --- if you ARE working hard and everything. If you're not... two weeks isn't very long.

My best words of advice, go and do some conditioning sprints. Sprint 100 meters at a time on the track, then walk the turns until you get to the next 100 meter start. Don't strain on these, these aren't going to make you faster, but they can facilitate recovery better, increase aerobic and anaerobic ability, along with your special endurance (repeat performance ability). Some keywords to use while sprinting are swift and fast, keep your legs going smooth but quickly. Do ten sprints 3 times a week the next two weeks. If you can't do ten without your form getting destroyed or wanting to die, try to work up to it.

You don't know how the evaluator/coach is going to run it either. At a junior training camp this fall, all the on ice stuff was more or less a scrimmage. But we got our butts handed to us during all of our off ice stuff.

THAT is excellent advice! Do not try to change your game, you do not have enough time to do it. For example, if you are a defensive defense man, do not use the tryout to try to become a scoring whiz! You will get caught out of position and look bad. Just do what you do as well as you can.

Also, as stated, show up to camp in as good a shape as you can. Once again, not enough time for serious weight training, but getting your aerobics up to snuff can happen in 2 weeks. Run a lot. Sprint/run so you build up some bursts of speed. In tryouts, the coaches often look at who is still standing after a gruelling 2 hour on-ice session. So if you still have your wind, are still thinking on your feet, are still sprinting to the bench for a line change at the end of the tryout, he will probably take notice.

And bring lots of water, and some easy to digest energy snacks. There MIGHT not be enough water on the bench! Show up to the rink fully hydrated.

[Super Star 0]

thanks guys for all the advice. I'm hitting the gym at least 3 times a week and now I try to go shoot on ice as much as possible. The other day I went and while shooting I asked a guy to show me mechanics of shooting and my mechanics seemed correct but still my shots only went half way up the goal never top shelf. So i tried to do it with his stick and WOW my shot go top shelf no problem. I think it might have been the flex because when he tried my stick he had to use more strength to get puck to go high. I use a regular flex but even though his flex on the stick said 90 it felt a lot more flexible then my stick but it did look old so it might have lost some of its stiffness (I read that in equipment section). So my question should I go and get myself a stick with low flex and if I should, how low should I go, in my LHS the next down from regular is 65.

PS I'm 5 8 and 150 lbs

[thefelixculpa 0]

A good wrist exersize is to take a bar, a rope/bungee cord/ and a 10-15 lb weight... attach the rope to both the weight and the bar, then hold the bar with boths hands, arms straight out, and turn it so that the rope is wrapping around the bar and the weight is rising. when the weight cant rise any further, slowly reverse the turning motion until the rope is no longer wrapped around the bar....repeat, however for the second time rolling up, wrap in the opposite direction.

[Jarick 5]

About your stick, are you using a one piece or standard shaft? I noticed that standard shafts feel a lot stiffer as the kick point is higher. My Bauer Endure kickpoint is also pretty high. I've thought about picking up a cheap intermediate wood stick and seeing if that's easier to flex for me (5'8" 170).

[Lfntn10 0]

Just keep your head up. I've made these points in earlier topics like this, and when you're scrimmaging or doing drills (especially when it's drills involving other people), try to make some chemistry between you and the returning players of the team. If coaches see that you can easily form a bond with the players that chances are will make the team via returning, they'll keep an eye out for you. As for the actual scrimmage, skate hard and make plays and be physical. Coaches like it when you play physical. If you're nervous, just make it seem like the scrimmage is an open hockey game. Works for me everytime.

[Super Star 0]

About your stick, are you using a one piece or standard shaft? I noticed that standard shafts feel a lot stiffer as the kick point is higher. My Bauer Endure kickpoint is also pretty high. I've thought about picking up a cheap intermediate wood stick and seeing if that's easier to flex for me (5'8" 170).

I'm using RBK 4K AcuFlex Sr. Composite Stick regular flex Modano curve.